In the playing of the game of golf, both wood and iron golf clubs are utilized. Wood golf clubs are utilized for driving the golf ball from a tee and for hitting a golf ball long distances from a fairway. Golf clubs known as "woods" may be composed of any of a number of materials including, wood, metal, polymer or composites thereof. Each of the woods defines a angulated striking face having a plurality of generally horizontal grooves formed therein. Each wood in a set of golf clubs, typically five at most, defines a different inclination or loft which determines the flight and distance the golf ball will travel when struck. Iron golf clubs, typically referred to as "irons" are most always formed of metal. Each iron defines an inclined striking face with each iron in a set of golf clubs being differently inclined or lofted to provide for hitting of a golf ball at various controlled distances and elevations. Depending upon the distance from the position or lie of a golf ball in relation to an intended golf green and the particular character of the terrain forming the fairway and the green, and because of any number of other variables, a golfer will select a particular iron for striking the ball so as to propel the ball from its position of lie to its position on the green. Irons are also provided with a plurality of horizontal grooves on the striking face thereof.
As mentioned above, both woods and irons have varying degrees of loft so as to provide the golf ball with a degree of upward movement during its trajectory after having been struck by a golf club. The horizontal grooves in the striking faces of golf clubs provide a gripping characteristic between the ball and the golf club as the ball is struck because some of the tough, resilient outer cover of the golf ball becomes displaced into the grooves upon impact of the golf club with the ball. The gripping characteristic caused by this displacement imparts an underspin to the golf ball such that it typically has a characteristic of climb during its trajectory. This underspin also has the characteristic of retarding forward movement of the ball as it strikes the fairway or green. This underspin or backspin is especially critical in controlled positioning of a golf ball on a green as the result of a golf shot. Thus, with minimal backspin, a golf ball will tend to roll forwardly or run a considerable distance after it has landed on a golf green. Conversely, with maximum backspin, the golf ball will tend to stop immediately on a green, and, in some cases, reverse its direction because of the rapid backspin. The capability of achieving controlled backspinning of a golf ball for stopping its forward movement and for backing it up are highly desirable attributes that are considered necessary for efficient playing of the game of golf.
When a golf ball laying on a fairway is struck by a wood or iron to propel it to or toward a green or to a controlled position on a fairway, the arc of movement of the head of the golf club typically passes through the golf ball and through the upper portion of the turf on which the golf ball is lying. For this reason, when a golf ball is properly struck by a golf club, the club will form a divit in the fairway or the tee by coming into contact with the grass and earth on which the golf ball is lying. When a golf ball is struck in this manner, bits of debris, including grass and earth, typically enter the grooves of the golf club striking face. If this debris is allowed to remain in the grooves, when subsequently striking the golf ball, the presence of the debris will impede backspinning capability. Thus it is highly desirable to insure that the hitting face on both wood and iron golf clubs remain efficiently clean of debris for each golf shot so that desirable backspin can be imparted to the golf ball each time it is struck. for this reason many golfers frequently clean the striking face grooves with towels, brushes, etc.
It is well known that brushes for cleaning the striking face grooves of golf clubs must be of different character depending whether woods or irons are being cleaned. For the cleaning of irons, because irons are typically composed of metal, the brush can be of quite harsh character. In fact, it may be composed of a metal such as brass or bronze as well as other relatively stiff or harsh non-metal materials. In the case of woods, however, especially where the golf club is composed of wood and perhaps includes a striking face insert of wood or another relatively soft material, the golf club cleaning brush must be of a different character. In this case, the golf club brush must be of a relatively soft nature so as not to degrade the hitting face of the golf club during the cleaning process. Consequently, golfers have historically provided themselves with two golf club cleaning brushes, one composed of a material suitable for the cleaning of irons and the other composed of a material suitable for the cleaning of woods. It is also well known that these groove cleaning brushes frequently become misplaced in the golf bag and they can cause scratching of other objects that are typically present in the golf bag.
To enable golf participants to have in a single unit a dual golf club brush mechanism for selective cleaning of woods and irons, a dual golf club brush assembly has been developed as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,953 of Dodson.
It is considered desirable to provide a dual or double golf club brush assembly having a single brush carrier movably positioned within a housing and having brushes at opposed sides thereof, one being of a character for the cleaning of irons and the other being of a character for the cleaning of woods. It is also considered desirable to provide a dual golf club brush assembly having a single brush carrier which is capable of being locked at selected positions for efficient and effective use of selected brushes by golf players and for protecting the brushes while they are not being used.